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Early History qf Bosque 

County 




Class F^^a ^ 

Book ,'B7C ^ 



SKETCH 



OF THE 



Early History qf Bosqti 

County 



BY 



H. J. and C. M. CURETON. 



Read by H. J. Cureton at the Old Settlers Reunion o/iS Semi- 
centennial Celebration g/ the Organization of 
Bosque County, at Meridian, 
Texas, July 4. 1904. 



Thk Tufbunb Printing Company, 

Printers, 

Meridian, Texas 



!< r^ /■*! 
1..-, '^' . ,') 



NOTE. 



The writers in the preparation of the following sketch 
"beg- to make public acknowledgement for assistance ren- 
dered and information furnished us by Jasper N. Mabray, 
J. K. Helton. F. M. Kell, John Thomas. A. J. George, 
Dave Neely. James M. Robertson. W. H. Russell, T. C. 
Alexander, Jack Odle. Jeff Barnes, Y. Grimland, Mrs. 
Jesse Russell Jones, Miss Nellie Anderson and Miss Lula 
Kell. and many others ?iave generously given us their 
assistance in this matter. 



Oifl 
Publisher 



30.0, 'd8 



Early History qf Bosque County. 



The returning- soldiers of the 
war between the United States 
and Mexico spread the news, in 
northern and eastern Texas, of 
a beautiful land on the west of 
the Brazos River, and northwest 
from Waco; where rich valleys, 
rank in verdue, lay between 
hills of Alpine beauty, threaded 
by clear streams of the purest 
water, over which ran all the 
game which the heart of the 
hunter could long for, such as 
buffalo, bear, antelope, wild 
turkey, deer and elk; and some 
of the fiercer type, as the pan- 
ther and kindred tribes, to add 
spice to the profits of the chase. 
This Eden, neAvly found by the 
returning soldiers, was the land 
upon which we now live and 
which now comprises Bosque 
County. 

So far as our investigation 
has gone, the first permanent 
white settlers came to this 
county in the year 1850, while 
this county was comjDrised with- 
in the territory of McLennan 
County. They were Ewell 
Everett and family, who settled 
on the Bosque river, and Albert 
Barton and family, who settled 
near the mouth of Steele's 
Creek, and established a ferry 
on the Brazos river, near old 
Fort Graham. And in the 
summer of the same year. Bar- 
ton was drowned by the captizing 
of his ferry boat; and his widow. 



a few years thereafter, married 
Sam Barnes, a noted and influ- 
ential citizen in the early govern- 
ment of the county. Soon there- 
after came the families of L. H. 
Scrutchfield. J. K. Helton, Wm. 
Gary, S. S. Locker. Wm. Mc- 
Curry, Allen Anderson, F. M. 
Gandy, A. C. Peace, the Mabrays, 
the Kells, the Hornbeaks, the 
Thomas' and several others, in- 
cluding the first Norwegian 
settlers, Ole Pierson, Canute 
Canuteson, and son Ole Caute- 
son, Jens Jens on, A. Bratton 
and perhaps others whose names 
we have been unable to ascertain. 
Prior, however, to the arrival 
of any of the above settlers, sur- 
veying had been done in the 
county for the purpose of locat- 
ing land certificates by the cele- 
brated Texas hero, Geo. B. 
Erath and other surviving par- 
ties; and indeed, several of the 
early settlers of the county, 
first came here, as members of 
Erath's surveying corps, and 
being struck with the natural 
beaut}' of the land they had en- 
countered returned east and 
brought their families for per- 
manent settlement. Bosque 
County was not without some 
X)opulation prior to 1850, how- 
ever; for the valleys and prairies 
of the Bosque River. Meridian 
Creek and Neills Creek were the 
favorite hunting grounds and 
habitat of the Tonkawa Indians, 



EAllLY IIISTOKV OF HOSQUl-: COUNTY 



a tribe of some 300 in number, 
and who remained friendly to 
the Avhites, save an occasional 
theft. These Indians remained 
in the county for some years 
after its organization; but gave 
the white settlers very little 
trouble, owing to the controlling 
influence exercised over them by 
Judge Lowei^y H. Scrutchlield, 
who was regarded by them with 
unbounded confidence, and they 
frequently assisted the whites 
in their battles with their more 
warliliC brothers, theComanches 
and Kiowas. 

Organization of the County. 

In the winter of 1803, a pe- 
tition was circulated and signed 
by the settlers, then living 
within the territory now com- 
prised by Bosque County', asking 
the Legislature of Texas to create 
a new county out of that terri- 
tory to be called Bosque Count3\ 
In response to this i)etition, the 
Legislature by an act approved 
February 4th, 1854, created the 
territory previously mentioned 
into a new count}^ and called it 
Bosque County. That act also 
appointed Wm. Gary. T. E. 
Everett, Wm. McCurry, S. S. 
Locker, L. H. Scrutchtield and 
Jasper N. Mabray, Commission- 
ers to locate the county Site of 
said county; and empowered 
them to purchase or receive by 
donation, not more than 320 
acres of land for the use of said 
county, and to proceed to lay 
off one half of said land into 
suitable lots, and to sell the 
same or any part thereof at such 
time and (m such terms ns thev 



may think best for the interest 
of the county, and appl}^ the 
proceeds of such sales to the 
erection of suitable county 
buildings for use of said county. 
The act providing further, that 
the said Commissioners or a ma- 
jority of them, shall locate the 
county seat as near the center 
of said county as j)racticable; if 
the land can be obtained, so as 
to secure the permanency of 
the same, and to continue to per- 
form the duties of county com- 
missioners until the next regular 
election, wheii their duties 
should cease. 

Pursuant to this act of the 
Legislature, the Conjmissioners 
above named with the exception 
of T. E. Everett, met June i7th, 
1854, where now is located the 
town of Meridian, and ordered, 
first, that the Commissioners re- 
ceive 100 acres of land donated 
by Dr. J. M. Steiner and 20 
acres of land donated by J. T. 
Eubank, for the use and benefit 
of Bosque County. This land 
being located a little north and 
west of the true geographical 
center of the county; second, 
ordered that the county seat be 
located on said donation and 
called "MERIDIAN:" third, or- 
dered that one half of the land 
donated be run off into suitable 
lots and sold on the 4th day of 
July, 1854, just fifty years ago, 
today: it was also ordered that 
rive lots be donated to actual 
settlers who Avill settle up the 
same, and in) prove the said lots 
against the 4th day of July; the 
commissioners being of the 
opinion that the five lots being 



EARLY HISTORY OF BOSQUE COUNTY 



improved will set the balance of 
the town ofl', and therefore said 
donations will be beneficial to 
the county. 

Between this date and Jul}" 
4th, the town lots were run otf, 
preparatory to the lot sale on 
that date; Major Geo. B. Erath, 
being' the surveyor. By July 
4th, some four or five log- huts 
had been built upon the donated 
lots, one being- uj^jon the lot 
where now stands the Duncan 
Hotel. 

July 4th, i8s4. 

Fifty years ago, toda.y, was 
held the first barbecue, the first 
of those great social gatherings 
which have become so character- 
istic of the generous people of 
Bosque County. It was held in 
a beautiful post oak grove upon 
a little ridge, gently rising up 
from the first valley of the Bos- 
que River; the stately trees in 
front of the Emerson Hotel now 
mark the exact spot, where the 
exercises of that memorable day. 
were held. The day was ideal. 
The announcement of the event 
had been carried far and near, 
and several hundred people had 
come in ox wagons and on horse 
back from the surrounding 
country, and from Waco, Gates- 
ville and other points, and pitch- 
ed camp for the occasion. And 
though it may seem strange now, 
the fact, remains, that many of 
those who were present upon 
that occasion, thought they were 
standing as godfathers to a great 
city, for this was the birthday 
of a new county, located almost 
ill the center of the state, and it 



was thought by many leading- 
men of that time, that the place 
then being founded, would 
eventually be the capital of 
Texas, which accounts for the 
fancy prices paid for lots sold 
on that day. And while those 
present upon that Fourth of 
July were not so numerous as 
we who are here today, yet, 
owing to auspiciusness of the 
occasion and the notable men who 
participated, it is a day long to 
be treasured in the memory 
of all living within the borders 
of this county. It is perhaps 
worthy of mention here, that 
when the venerable Geo. B. 
Erath was marking out the last 
town lot in what was then thought 
might be the future capital of 
the great empire of Texas, Mrs. 
Swenson, now living at Clifton 
and who is present here, today, 
and her sister, Mrs. Pederson, 
now deceased, daughters of Ole 
Pierson, held the surveyor's 
chain with their own hands. 

Notable Men Present. 

Geo. B. Erath was one of 
the most noted of Texas heroes. 
He was an Austrian nobleman 
by birth, and born on the banks 
of the Historic Danube. He 
was a man of highest education, 
culture and and attainment; and 
why he quitted the allurements 
of wealth and station open to 
him in his native land, to cast 
his fortunes amidst the strange 
adventures, privations and man- 
ifold dangers that followed his 
life in this, the land of his 
adoption, is one of those 
romances to which he seldom 



6 



EARLY HISTORY OF BOSQUE COUNTY 



reverted and remains hidden in 
the same depth of mistery as 
that Avhicli drove General Sam 
Houston from his bride and the 
governorship of Tennesse to this 
same wild country. Major 
Eruth landed in Texas on the 
coast near Velasco in 1832. and 
from date his life was insepar- 
ably linked with the heroic 
sti'ugg-les of Texas, and her 
battles with the Mexicans and the 
savage red man. He was in the 
battle of San Jacinto, and many 
other noted battles, and the 
story of his personal adventures 
would till a volume. Major 
Erath stated that upon one oc- 
casion, he acquired an un- 
waranted reputation for courage, 
by reason of the fact, in charg- 
ing a superior bodj^ of Indians 
intended merely as a feint to 
cover the retreat of his own 
men, his bridle bits broke in two, 
and his cavalry horse being a 
mule, carried him headlong into 
the Indians. The terrorized In- 
dians ignorant of the accident 
causing the charge, fled panic 
stricken, and saved the daj^ for 
Erath and his band. It is also one 
of the traditions of this celebra- 
tion, that Major Erath prepared 
for himself with his own hands 
an old time beef head roast as 
his part of the barbecue. 

Dr. J. M. Steiner. 

Another notable character 
present at said celebration was 
Dr. J. M. Steiner. who donated 
the one liundi-ed acres upon 
which the town of Meridian now 
stands, to Bosque Count3\ Dr. 
.Steiner is uotod in Texas history 



and the history of the south, by 
reason of his unique and thrilling- 
rescue by his friend. Judge 
James H. Dyer and part}' of the 
civil authorities of Hill County 
from the hands of the militar}" 
iiuthorities. and allowing him a 
trial by the civil courts, instead 
of a summary trial hy a drum 
head court martial; the trouble 
growing out of Steiner's having 
killed the commanding ofiicer of 
the United States army post at 
old Fort Graham in self defense. 
Steiner was at that time chief 
surgeon (jf the post. Dr. Steiner 
was for many years afterwards 
one of the foremost citizens of 
the state, and possessed those 
qualities of manhood and courage 
that endeared him to the pioneers 
of the country. 

Capt. Sam Barnes. 

And there was Capt. Sam 
Barnes, who had been a soldier 
under Houston in the battles of 
the Republic, and who fought 
with James Bowie in the great 
Indian battle of San Saba, where 
less than a dozen men were at- 
tacked and besieged by one hun- 
dred and forty Indians for sev- 
eral days. He was also a meu)- 
ber of the celebrated Meir ex- 
pedition into Old Mexico, where 
he there cast lots with death in 
the d]"awing of the beans, to 
which piece of rehned cruelty 
that courageous band of Texas 
heroes were subjected. Failing 
to draw a black bean he escaped 
back to Texas and after a check- 
ed career in battling against the 
adverse forces that surrounded 
the early pioneer, was tinnlly 



EARLY HISTOIiY OF BOSQUE COUNT V 



killed in the pitched battle with 
the Indians at Dove Creek. 
Capt. Barnes shares with Ewell 
Everett and Albert Barton the 
distinction of being- the tirst 
white settlers in Bosque county. 
And there was also present Lee 
Davis, the cousin of Sam Barnes, 
whose career was equally as 
checkered, and who was also a 
member of the ill fated Mier 
expedition. 

Judge N. W. Battle, now liv- 
ing- at Seattle, Washington, was 
then a candidate for District 
Attorne}' of the District and the 
orator of the occasion. Judge 
Battle then resided at Waco, and 
rode from that place, 50 miles, 
horseback to make the speech. 
He was the District Attorney at 
the organization of the District 
Court of Bosque County, and 
afterwards served as District 
Judge over the same court. 

Aside fi'oin these men, just 
mentioned, thei-e were present, 
Judge Lower V H. Scrutchtield, 
Jasper N. Mabray, F. M. Kell, 
Judge J. K. Helton, the latter 
two are here today, and many 
others, whose distinguished ser- 
vices are a matter of common 
knowledge to the people of this 
county. 

It might be worthy of men- 
tion, and no reflection upon those 
sturdy pioneers, to state that 
local option was not in effect in 
Bosque county on that date, and 
a little barrel of pure old Ken- 
tucky Bourbon was freelj' dis- 
pensed to rhose who would par- 
take. 



Origin of the Name. 

The word -bosque" is a 
Spanish word, and its English 
equivalent is ••woods" or 
"woody." And on the oldest 
Spanish majjs is given as a name 
for the Bosque River and its 
several forks and tributaries in 
this county. This statement we 
have no less authority than Geo. 
B. Erath. As to who applied 
this name to the river is not 
known, and was not known in 
the days of Major Erath, whose 
only information was from the 
old Spanish maps made by the 
first Spanish explorers, and 
which are inexcessable to us at 
this day and time. As to who 
suggested that the name of the 
county follows the name of its 
chief river, neither have we 
been able to learn, suffice it to 
say that other fancy theories as 
to the origin of this name for 
the county are not supported b\' 
authentic tradition, nor the 
etemology and jDlain meaning of 
the name itself. 

The name ''Meridian" for 
the county seat was suggested 
by Jasper N. Mabray, one of the 
locating- Commissioners. Me- 
ridian Creek and Meridian 
Mountain had borne this name 
for many years prior to 
the organization of tlie county; 
and they were perhaps so named 
by Geo. B. Erath or some of the 
early sun'eyors, from the fact 
that the 98th meridian of longi- 
tude passes over or near a high 
mountain suitable for observa- 
tion purposes near the head of 
Meridian Creek. 



EAKLY HISTORY OF ]iOSQL'E COUNTY 



Early Government of the County. 

So far as the records show, 
the first election in Bosque 
County was held Oct. 7th, 1854, 
there being tViree voting- places 
provided for. One on the 
Brazos River with R. S. Barnes, 
presiding- officer, one at Meri- 
dian, with Israel B. Standifor. 
presiding- officer, and the third 
under a truly historic live oak 
tree, still standing-, near the 
residence of Tom Pool about .j 
miles below Clifton, with J. K. 
Helton as presiding officer. 
There being no qualiiied voters 
at the first election at the Meri- 
dian box, there is no record of 
any returns having been made 
from that box. The total vote 
cast at the other two boxes was 
17 votes. Five votes at Barnes' 
box and 12 votes under the old 
live oak tree. None of the Nor- 
wegians were qualified voters at 
that time. Among the first 
officers of the county were: P. 
Bryant, Sheriff; A. C. Pearce. 
District Clerk; Jasper N. Ma- 
bray, County Clerk; L. H. 
Scrutchfield, Chief Justice; and 
J. K. Helton. Justice of the 
Peace. The first marriage li- 
cense was issued to Leroy Parks 
and Miss Wheeler. 

The County Court of Bosque 
County on August 28th, 1854, 
ordered that William McCurr^^ 
be employed to erect a suitable 
building to be used as a court 
house and 'for the office of Bos- 
que County.' This building- 
was a single room, one story 
log building, and rested on the 
spot where now stands the First 
National Bank. On N«n'en]ber 



25th 1854, the court paid Wm. 
McCurry for the erecting- of Bos- 
que county's first court house, 
the sum of $125. This building 
was used until 1860, when a 
frame building about 30 by 40 
feet was erected near where the 
[)resent court house now stands. 
Tliis building had three rooms; 
one for the court room and two 
to accommodate the clerks. It 
was burned in 1871, and a part 
of the records were entirely de- 
stroyed with it. From 1871 until 
1875, the county was without a 
court house; a tent being used a 
part of the time to accommodate 
the court. In 1875 a two story 
stone court house was completed 
by A. J. George and DaveNeely, 
and cost the county approx- 
imately §10,000. This building 
was torn down in l88tj for the 
erection of the present court 
house. 

First District Court. 

The first district court of 
Bosque county was opened on 
the 9th day of June 1855, with 
that distinguished pioneer jurist, 
Judge R. E. B. Baylor, as Judge, 
and N. W. Battle, District At- 
torney; I. Witty. Sheriff and 
A. C. Pearce. District Clerk. It 
might be worth}- of mention to 
here state that Judge Baylor 
was one of nature's Noblemen, 
whose whole soul was bound up 
in the welfare of Texas and her 
civic development; and it always 
filled him with deep emotion, 
when b}'^ his assistance the law- 
ful administration of justice and 
civil government was extended 
over a new county as was being 



EARLY HISTORY OF BOSQUE COUNTY 



9 



done on this occasion. On the 
day above mentioned when he 
took the bench, he requested 
the sheriff to open court to 
which request he repUed: 'Judge 
I never saw a court opened, I do 
not know how.' Wliereupon 
Judge Baylor said: 'Well I'll 
tell you. Go to the door and say 
in a loud voice, 'oh yez, oh yez; 
oh yez. the Honorable District 
Court of Bosque County is now 
iji session!' And as the sheriff 
turned away, the old Judge 
filled with emotion reverently 
said to himself: 'God bless 
Texas.' The sheriit" mistaking 
the last remark of the jutlge as a 
part also of the ceremony- to be 
proclaimed, went to the door 
and after proclaiming the regu- 
lar oj^ening W(jrds, exclaimed 
also in stentorion tones: 'God 
Bless Texas.' x\nd thus in a 
truly earnest manner, the ad- 
ministration of the law began in 
Bosque County. The first civil 
case upon the docket of the dis- 
trict court was styled: "Tliomas 
B. Clements vs. W. M. McNeill 
and B. P. Scott,' number one on 
the doclvet; and while the record 
does not disclose the fact, we 
have been informed that Senator 
Richard Coke was one of the 
counsel in that case. The first 
criminal case on the docket 
charged the defendant b}^ in- 
dictment with the offense of 
grand larcenrv, filed December 
11th, 185(1 

Government During the War. 

On February 23rd. 18G1, the 
people of Bosque County voted 
upon the question of secession, 



resulting in 15G votes being cast 
for secession and 16 votes against 
it. During the continuance of 
the Civil War the commissioners' 
court of Bosque county repeated- 
ly appropriated funds for the 
arming and equiting soldiers 
going to war and providing for 
their famihes left at home. The 
larger portion of the citizenship 
of the county having gone to 
war, the administration of the 
courts were largely suspended; 
and on March 17th, 1862, the 
citizens of the county met at 
Meridian and organized a com- 
mittee of safety, and in the sol- 
emn language of the original 
minutes of the meeting which 
we have in our possession, 'the 
greatest enthusiasm prevailed 
and every patriotic sentiment 
was eagerly applauded; the 
Honorable W. R. Sedberry was 
called to the chair, and W. T. 
Kem]) was appointed Secretary. 
The Rev. John Abuey stated the 
object of the Tueeting, and John 
Abney, Sam Barnes. J. K. Hel- 
ton. Jerry Odle, Jack Smith and 
James Lane were appointed a 
committee on resolutions, which 
committee submitted their re- 
port in the following language: 
Whereas the Southern Confed- 
eracy is having an unnatural 
curse and sanguinary war waged 
against it by Abraham Lincoln 
and his abolition hordes, where- 
by our lives, liberties and for- 
tunes are being impoverished, 
and our soil is being desecrated 
by the vandal tread of our 
Yankee enemies, making it im- 
perative that a large share of 
our best citizens go to the seat 



10 



EARLY HISTORY OF BOSQUE COUNTY 



of war to meet and drive back 
the invading foe and by their 
valor achieve our independance; 
and whereas there are vre that 
beUeve in our uiidst pei'sons 
liostile to our institutions, con- 
s(>quently enemies to our coun- 
try and its cause; besides char 
acters who have no love of 
country, and who know not the 
meaning of patriotism, but who 
will take advantage of the ab- 
sence of our good citizens to 
depredate upon their property, 
thereby showing themselves 
clearly as great enemies to our 
country and its cause as an 
abolitionist.' And so the reso- 
lutions continue, and linally re- 
solves that "should any man now 
living in our midst, who has 
been or who may hereafter be 
guilty of using language derog- 
atory of the Southern Confeder- 
acy or its cause, or by any act 
giving evidence that he is un- 
friendly to the Confederate 
Government, that the committee 
test him b}' his being required 
to show his fidelity to our gov- 
ernment and cause, by enlisting 
in the arm^' of the Southern 
Confederacy; and if he refuses. 
give him a free j^ass to leave for 
the Lincoln Government; and if 
he refuses to do either, he shall 
be regarded and treated as an 
alien enemy and as a spy for 
which he shall be executed by 
the committee.' This committee 
also laid down rules and regula- 
tions for the branding of stock. 
and took charge of all estrays. 
and forfeited them to a fund for 
tlie support of the soldiers fam- 
ilies, and ;it tlie rt^tiuest of the 



county court co-operated with it 
in the administration of justice 
in the county. 

Indian Depredations in the County. 

The principal tribes of In- 
dians that from time to time 
made raids into the territory of 
Bosque county were the Com- 
anches, the Kiowas and the 
Caddos. The object of these in- 
cursions on the ])art of the red 
men was principally for the theft 
of horses from the white settlers 
but the massacre of men and 
women or the murder or capture 
of children w^ere not infrequent 
occurrences while on these 
raids. And the white people of 
this county, up until the early 
'seventies, were kept constantly 
on the alert for the safety of 
their stock and their own lives. 
For the purpose of 'affording 
greater protection against the 
Indians, the settlers of the 
county were organized and kept 
scouting parties constantly 
along the north and west borders 
of the settlements. One of the 
principal points from which 
watch was kept b^' these scouts 
was a high point called Lookout 
Mountain near Martin's Gap on 
the line of Bosque and Hamilton 
counties, where the village of 
Fairy now stands. The scouting 
))arty, usually consisting of 8 or 
iO men, would keep their camp 
near Lookout Mountain, with 
two men in turn detailed as sen- 
tinels to keep constant vigil from 
the top of the mountain, where 
they could see through the level 
country and the clear sky manj'- 
miles bevond; and thus discover 



EARLY HISTOKY OF BOSQrE COUNTY 



11 



any bands of Indians going into 
or out Oi the settlement. The 
Indians usually made their raids 
upon moonlight nights, and 
these watches were kept up on 
those nights as well as during 
the day. 

On the 4th day of March, 
1857, the day of the Inauguration 
of President Buclianan, F.M.Kell 
who is here today, was one of 
the sentinels on Lookout Moun- 
tain; and looking out to the south 
and west he saw a band of live 
Indians hurriedly leaving the 
settlement witli a buncli of 
stolen horses. Crawling back 
over the point of the mountain, 
he gave the alarm to the other 
scouts below, who mounting 
their horses in company with 
Kell and the other sentinel, 
charged the Indians. But six 
of the scouts had horses fleet 
enough to get into the fight. 
They were F. M. Kell and 
brother Abe Kell, Bob Renfro, 
Jim Babb, Allen Anderson and 
Ross Crantili. The father and 
brother of young Renfro had 
been killed, but a short while 
before by the Indians. It was a 
running fight, with the Indians 
headed toward the Leon bottoms. 
The settlers were armed with 
old fashioned slow loading tire 
arms, and the Indians with bows 
and arrows, with the exception 
of one who was armed with a 
large bore Yaugor gun. The 
chief of the band had also a 
bright shield and a Spanish steel 
lance, in the use of which he 
was very proficient. One by 
one the Indians were killed in a 
hand to hand figlit: the fourth 



one after being shot from his 
horse, leaned against a tree and 
fought with his bow and arrows, 
and although severally wounded, 
came near killing several of the 
scouts; while Mr. Kell, who was 
reloading his gun, ordered the 
boy, Bob Renfro, to kill him. 
Young Renfro killed him b}' 
shooting him in the head, and as 
the Indian fell to the ground 
upon his face he had his bow 
and arrow dr.awn ready for 
shooting again. A dramatic in- 
cident of the fight was a personal 
encounter between the chief, 
armed with his spear and shield 
and Mr. Kell, with the fleetest 
horse as they sped their way to- 
ward the Leon bottoms. The 
skill with which the Indian 
chief warded off the aim and 
bullets of his assailant with his 
bright and blinding shield, and 
the dexterity with which he 
used his Spanish lance, prevent- 
ed his unhorsement, and enabled 
liim alone of his band to escape 
and rejoin his tribe. This In- 
dian is now one of the aged 
chiefs of the Kiowas and resides 
in the Indian Territory, and 
states that he received among 
other wounds in this battle a 
bullet through his body. 

In 185!S the Comanche Indians 
made a raid through Erath, Com- 
anche and Bosque Counties, kill- 
ing a nunjber of people and steal- 
ing !nany head of horses. In 
Bosque County, near what was 
ever afterwards known as John- 
son's Peak, they encountered a 
man by the name of Johnson and 
his little boy with a wagon load 
of flour and meal. They killed 



12 



EARLY HISTOUY OF EJOSQUE COUNTY 



the man, scalped him and mutil- 
ated his body, and took the little 
boy captive. They carried him 
with them for several daj's, but 
linally stripped him naked and 
turned him loose in a wild, un- 
inhabited and unknown country. 
After roaming around for a day 
or two in terror of wolves and 
wild beasts, and without food, he 
came across some cows from 
which he obtained milk for food, 
and with which he remained to 
protect him from the wolves. He 
also hoped that the cows might 
lead him to some ranch. After 
spending several days in this 
manner, he was finiilly found and 
rescued by that gallant old 
Knight of the Frontiers, Col. 
Buck Barry, and his scouting 
party. 

There were enough thrilling 
encounters with the Indians in 
the territory of Bosque County, 
by its pioneers to lill a volume. 
The story of the capture and 
liberation by ransom of the Nor- 
wegian boy. Ole Nystel, who is 
here today, is itself a romance, 
unsurpassed in the annals of 
adventure or fiction. The raid up- 
on and rifling of Ole Canuteson's 
house in tiie early Norwegian 
settlement, and the curious 
mingling of the comic so common 
in moments of the greatest dan- 
ger to be found in the incident of 
the rescue by Dr. W. H. Russell 
of his freighting mules on Steel's 
Creek from an Indian attack, 
and many other occurances. are 
incidents worthy of mention 
here, but the limits of this paper 
do not permit a further enlarge- 
ment of our sketch. The bal tie 



of Dove Creek, fought by a part 
of Col. Buck Barry's regiment, 
was perhaps one of the greatest 
pitched battles ever fought with 
the Indians in Texas, and it was 
fought principally by Bosque 
County citizens commanded by 
Cape. Henry Fossett, an other 
old and reverred pioneer of this 
county. Capt. Jack Cureton. the 
grandfather of the authors of 
this sketch, and many who are 
still living and present here 
today participated in this great 
fight. It was fought in 18t)5 in 
the dead of winter, on Dove 
Creek one of the tributaries of 
the Concho River, between a 
thousand Indians warriors armed 
with rillles and several hundred 
whites similiarly armed. 

Manners and Customsi. 

Mr. Hornbeak, now living at 
Corsicana, and who is present 
here today was born in 1851 
about two miles above the pres- 
ent location of the town of Valley 
Mills, and was the first white 
child born in Bosque County. 

F. M. Gandy and McCurrj^ 

were the first people married 
upon the soil of Bosque County. 
Mrs. Gandy is present here to- 
day. The first mail facilities in 
the county were by private 
carriers frotn Waco as early as 
1854. The first church was 
erected near Valley Mills. There 
is some conflict in the memories 
of the surviving old settlers as 
to who preached the first ser- 
mon, but there were sermons 
preached at private residences 
as early as 1853 and 1854. In the 
early days oT the county the 



EAKLY HISTORY OF BOSQUK COUx\TY 



13 



people carried their tire-arms to 
church Avith them as legend 
tells us they did in the old Puri- 
tan days, and services were held 
under jnany and various adverse 
circumstances. The venerable 
Dr. \Y. H. Russell in an article 
giving- his experience as an early 
settler of this county, written 
for the information of the writers 
of this sketch, relates an incident 
of one of the first camp ujeetings 
ever held in the county, which 
throws some light upon the cus- 
toms and conditions of those 
days. He states that at a camp- 
meeting vvhich had been in 
progress for some time, Alonzo 
Bearcroft decided to go home, 
and yoking up his oxen stai'ted 
off towards his destination. It 
was about 2 o'clock in the after- 
noon, and the oxen vvere thirsty 
and before going more than a 
mile from the camp, the oxen 
spied a pond of water a short 
distance from the road, and 
wheeling with that sudden vim 
and energ}'. familiar only to the 
old time ox driver, the oxen 
prouiptly headed for the same, 
totally oblivious of the burdeti 
they v/ere drawing. The wagon 
was overturned and the ladies 
entrapped beneath the bed. Mr. 
Bearcroft much enraged, only 
took time to prop up a corner of 
the wagon bed to prevent the 
suffocation of his family, and 
hurried back to the meeting for 
assistance. He ran without hat, 
coat or shoes and fell exhausted 
at the feet of Dr. Russell, 
without being able to explain his 
trouble. The men of the con- 
gregation thinking it was an 



Indian attack, rushed to the 
rescue, while Dr. Russell heroic- 
ally poured all the Sacremental 
wine down Bearcrof. Bearcroft 
recovered and his family were 
rescued without injury, but this 
incident broke the camp meeting 
up. 

Supples for the early settlers 
had to be freighted over long and 
tedious routes by wagons from 
Waco, Houston, Shreveport and 
other distant points, and in 
these trips the freighters were 
subjected to many privations, 
hardships and dangers of attack 
from the hostile Indians. From 
the pages of an old ledger pre- 
served by one of the old settlers 
we can see that flour then cost 
§8.50 per hundred, salt '^8 a 
sack, J{>1 for four pounds of sugar 
four pounds of green coffee for 
the same money, and calico 35 
cents a yard, and so on down the 
line of the staple necessaries of 
life. 

Pioneer Women. 

We cannot close this sketch 
without making mention of the 
heroic Avomen, Avho with their 
husbands blazed the Avay for this 
splendid civilization we are en- 
joying in Bosque County today. 
We have here attempted in some 
measure to depict the courage 
of the pioneer ]nen. but words 
are inadequate to describe the 
courage and fortitude of the 
pioneer women: 

"The mothers of our foremost land, 
Stout hrtarted dames were they; 

AVho dared to wield tho battle brand— 
And join the border 'fray." 

And perhaps we cannot better 
sum up the character of the old 



14 EARLY HISTORY OF BOSQUE COUNTY 

settler, than in the language of ready at any moment to defend 

one of their number, Dr. W. H. his home and family against the 

Russell: 'The early settler was red tiend. The feint of heart and 

first, last and all the time a those with lack of courage had 

soldier: always picket duty, and no ])lace here." 




)i)j 9S 1908 



n,< 



